Burglar alarm device for automobiles



June 1945- F. E. ENGLER 2,402,111

BURGLAR ALARM DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed March 26, 1942 l N VEN TOR.

F'raZZTZ'rgZer A TTORNEY.

Patented June 11, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BURGLAR ALARM DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Fred E. Engler, Pukwana, S. Dak., assignor to Leo G. Stransky, Mitchell, S. Dak.

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to an alarm device, particularly adapted for use in connection with a motor vehicle, and has for its primary object to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth a device of such class by means of which an alarm will be sounded intermittently by the oscillatory movement of the vehicle when the latter is driven by an unauthorized person.

A further object of the invention is to provide an alarm device for connection with a motor vehicle by means of which an alarm will be sounded intermittently by any unauthorized jarring or shaking of the vehicle when the latter is parked.

A further object of the invention is to provide an alarm device for a motor vehicle operating through an electrical circuit to sound an alarm intermittently as aforesaid, and including a hidden switch by means of which the device may be rendered inoperative when the vehicle is in the custody of an authorized person.

A further object of the invention is to provide an alarm device of the character aforesaid which includes a resilient, vibratory supporting member for a resilient switch closing element, whereby a switch will be closed by a relatively slight movement of the vibratory element, and although the switch will be opened and closed at relatively short intermittent intervals, the interval during which the switch is closed will be of greater duration than those during which the switch is open.

With the foregoing andother objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more particularly described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that the description and drawing are to be taken as illustrative and that the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an alarm device in accordance with this invention,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section taken On the line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of a conventional horn operating circuit for a motor vehicle showing my alarm device in association therewith,

Figure 5 is a reduced sectional elevation of a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 6 is a reduced perspective view of a modified form of vibratory element.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral I designates a casing which may be formed of any suitable material and which is formed with an open end portion 2 of slightly reduced diameter which is provided with a flange 3 for the passage therethrough of holdfast devices 4 by means of which the casing may be secured to a support, such as 5, which may be any suitable frame member of a motor vehicle.

Disposed within the open end of the casing is an insulating block 6 which is provided with a vertically disposed opening 1 extending therethrough and through the wall of the casing l. The block 6 is further formed with a slot 8 which extends transversely of the opening 1 and within which is secured one end of an elongated, resilient element 9, the opposite end of which is provided with a weight In, the outer portion of which is encircled by a cushion element l I, preferably, formed of rubber. The element 9 is of compound curvature.

Having one end secured to the element 9, ad- -iacent the block 6, is a resilient element 13, the free end portion of which extends in spaced relation to the element 9 and which is formed adjacent its free end with a contact point 14. Adjustably extending through a boss I5 on the casing I is an adjustable threaded terminal 16, the inner end of which is formed with a contact ll adapted to be engaged by the contact i4 upon the vibration of the resilient element 9. Disposed within the opening I is a terminal 18 which extends through an opening 19 in the resilient element 9, and which further extends through an insulating bushing 20 closing one end of the opening I. The terminal 18 is maintained in position by means of a suitable nut 21 and washer 22.

The terminals 16 and 18 are adapted to be connected with an alarm sounding electrical circuit, 7

such as the usual horn operating circuit of a motor vehicle. So long as the contact points M and I! remain open, the circuit will be broken and upon the closing of the points l4 and I1, the circuit will be closed for operating the alarm. In Figure 4, a motor vehicle horn is shown conventionally at 23, the horn having one terminal connected with a battery 24 by means of a pair of conductors 25 and 26 and an ammeter 21. The opposite terminal of the horn is connected by means of a conductor 28 with a switch 29 which is operated by the usual horn button of a vehicle. Connected with the conductor 28 is a conductor 30 which leads to and is connected with the terminal 18 of my alarm device. Connected to the terminal IE of the alarm device is a conductor 31' which is grounded, as indicated at 32. The conductor is provided with a switch 33 which may be hid in any suitable place, known only by authorized persons. When the switch 33 is closed, the alarm device will operate in the manner intended and when the switch 33 is open, the alarm device will be rendered inoperative.

In the operation of the device, any jiggling movement of the casing I, such as may be caused by a vehicle or by stepping on the running board thereof, will impart a vibrating motion to the resilient element 9, owing to the weight iii carried by the free end thereof. Upon the vibration of the element 9, the resilient element I3 will be reciprocated whereby the contact point M will be brought into engagement with the contact point l1 to establish an electrical connection between the conductors 30 and 3! to sound the horn 23. The cushion element I! on the weight I?) prevents the electrical cuirent from being passed to the casing I, and also prevents the possibility of any sound emanating from the casing, due to the contact therewith of the weight I O by the vibration of the element 9. When the resilient element 13 is moved in a manner to bring the contact point l4 into engagement with the contact point IT, by the vibration of the element 9, the resiliency of the element [3 will permit the latter to bend whereby the contact points i 4 and I! will be maintained in engagement during a portion of the downward movement oi? the resilient element 9, thereby causing the intervals during which the switch is closed to exceed those during which the switch is open. Thus the intermittent sounding of the alarm will be of sufficient duration to attract the attention of anyone who may be in the vicinity.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the casing 34 is the same in every respect as the casing I heretofore described, except that the casing 34 is provided with an internall threaded 35 oppositely disposed with respect to the internally threaded boss l5. Extending through the boss 35 is a terminal 36 similar to the terminal Hi.

Secured to the resilient vibratory element 9 is a resilient contacting element 37 which. is oppositely disposed with respect to the resilient ele ment l3. The element 31 is of the some eonstruction as the element [3 and is provided with a contact point 38 for engagement with the ter-- minal 36. In the form shown in Figure 5, the terminal 36 is grounded in the same manner as the terminal l5. Upon the vibration of the element 9, the normally open circuit with which the device is connected, will be closed alternately by the contacting elements I3 and 31.

In the form of vibratory element shown in Figure 6, the resilient contact element 33. which corresponds to the element I3 shown in Figure 1, is stamped from the resilient vibratory element 42 which corresponds to the element 5 shown in Figure 1. The contact element 39 is integral at one end with the vibratory element 49, and is bent in a manner to extend the free end portion thereof in spaced parallel relation to the longitudinal plane of the element 9. By forming the contact element in this manner, a greater range of vibration of the vibratory element may be permitted, as the element 39 is free to pass through the opening M formed in the element 40 in stamping the element til therefrom. The contact element is provided with a contact point 42 similar to the contact element 14 shown in Figure 1, and the vibratory element 40 is provided with a weight 43 partially enclosed by a cushion 44 similar to the 'ght iii and cushion H shown in Figure 1.

It is thought that the many advantages of an alarm device, in accordance with this invention, will be readily apparent, and although the preferred embodiments of the invention are as herein illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction may be resorted to, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In an alarm device for use in connection with motor vehicles a casing comprising a cylindrical body having a hemispherically shaped outer end,

casing having a reduced neck portion extending oppositely from said hemispherically shaped outer end, said neck portion being provided with a radially projecting circular flange having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the cylindrical body, said flange having a series of openings spaced from each other to receive supporting means for supporting said casing, said neck portion being provided with a pair of aligned opposed openings to facilitate the securing of an alarm control device therein, a boss on the outer surface of said casing through which a portion of said alarm control device is adapted to extend, an alarm control device adapted to be contained in said casing comprising a, cylindrical insulating plug, having a transverse bore extending therethrough, said plug having a rectangular passage extending longitudinal therethrough intersecting said transverse bore, the axis of said rectangular passage being at an angle to the axis of said plug, an elongated resilient arm seated in said passage with the outer end thereof extendtoward said hemispherical outer end, a contact member on said resilient arm, a second contact member adjustably mounted through said boss on said casing, a weight mounted on the outer end of said resilient arm for inducing vibration of said arm when said alarm control device is jarred, an insulating bushing mounted in one of opposed openings in said casin neck, and a combined resilient arm clamping an electrical connecting device passing through an opening in said resilient arm, and through said bushing to clamp said resilient arm in said insulating plug and to provide an electrical connector for said resilient arm, said alarm control device being adapted when connected into an electrical circuit to complete the circuit and break the circuit alternately as the resilient arm i vibrated due to jars or shocks.

FRED E. ENGLER. 

